Top things you can plant late summer
If you’re thinking about starting a garden this year, it’s not too late to get some things in the ground.
While most vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers will be required to be pre-grown, you can still plant several leafy greens from the seed, according to Rachelle Hofmeister, manager of the tree, shrub, and perennial department at Dutch Growers.
“You would still have enough time to get them in the ground now and still have a harvest,” Hofmeister said, noting that these sorts of plants have a shorter maturity date.
- Radishes
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
These are also perfect for first time gardeners because they are fairly easy to grow, Hofmeister noted.
“They grow fast so it’s easy to have success with those sorts of things and then it helps you build your confidence to try other things,” she said.
Hofmeister said it is also the perfect time to plant perennial flowers, which grow back every season.
She said it is a good idea to mix flowers in with your vegetable garden because they attract pollinators.
Perennial flowers that bees are attracted to include flowers that have a flat landing pad.
- Coneflowers
- Yarrows
- Milkweed
- Shasta daisies
Plants such as marigold or salvia (sage) have the added bonus of keeping bugs out of your garden.
“[This] helps to deter pests because they don’t like the aroma or the fragrance that’s given off by the flower,” she said.
If you have pets, Hofmeister noted that the vast majority of all perennial flowering plants are fine, but tomato plants can be toxic to dogs, as they are in the nightshade family.
If you already have a garden, she recommends using a floating row cover to protect your plants such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages, from white moths.
“[It] is a really good non-toxic way to protect your plants by not having to spray any chemicals,” she said. “Also really good for keeping flea beetles off of your plants.”
She also recommends keeping up with the soil in your garden.
“It’s really important to work in things like compost, or worm casting or peat moss into the ground, on a regular basis every year or so to help to recharge that soil and help to add organic matter and drainage, it really helps a lot,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.